kenna



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

-J. W. KENNA PLATFORM ROCKING CHAIR.

No. 313,429. Patented Mar. 3, 1885.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY$ (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. W. KENNA.

PLATFORM ROCKING CHAIR.

No. 313,429. Patented Mar. 3, 1885.

WITNESSES v y 1NVRNT0R W. M i 4% ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT @Fr ICE JOSEPH WV. KENN A, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO YVILLIAM I. BUNKER AND CHARLES L. MILLER,

BOTII OF SAME PLACE.

PLATFORM ROCKING-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,429, dated March 3, 1885.-

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosErH W. KENNA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Platform Rocking-Chairs, of which I do declare the "following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My present invention has relation to that class of rocking-chairs known to the trade as plat-form rocking-chairs; and its object is to provide improved means for connecting and holding the rockers and base-rails thereof together.

To this end myinvention consistsin providing the coiled springs with extended portions, and with means for holding such extended por- 2O tions securely to the base-rails and rockers.

My invention also consists in providing the coiled springs having extended portions with means for holding said extended portions se curely to the base-rails and rockers,an d means for holding against displacement the ends of the extended portions.

My invention also consists in a novel construction of the bracket-plates for the ends of the coiled springs, wherein seats shall be provided for the extended portions of the springs, and stop-seats shall be provided for the ends of the springs.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurelisa view in side elevation of a rocker and base-rail 3 5 having one form of my improvements applied thereto, the parts being shown in a position of rest. Fig. 2 is aview in side elevation,showing the spring as extended by the act of rocking the chair. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of two rockers having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View on line as 00 of Fig. 5, showing a modified form of spring mechanism. Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the form of spring mechanism shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line y 3 of Fig. 7, showing another modified form of spring mechanism embodying features of my invention. Fig. 7 is aview in side elevation, showing this lastform 50 of spring mechanism.

A designates the base-rail, and B the rocker,

of a platform rocking-chair with one form of my improvements applied thereto. To each base-rail and rocker, at a point at one side of the center, is attached the spring-sustaining bracketplate C, having the screw-hole flanges c. the laterally-projecting bearingllange c, with downwardly-extending guard-lip a, the bearingseats c, and the end stop-seats, c". To these bracket-plates are connected the coiled 6o springs D, having the extended straightened portions (2, adapted to rest upon the bearingfianges c, and within the bearing-seats c, and having the bent ends (1, that enter the end stop-seats,c. My objectin thus providing the 6 coiled springs with the extended portions, and in placing the bracket-plates beyond the center of motion, is to afford longer, moresecure, and more effective bearings for the springs than would be possible were the ends of the springs not so extended. The ends of the springs thus extending a distance beyond the center of motion will more readily resist the first movement of the chair than were the bracket-plates at such center. It will be no- 7 ticed that the bearing flange is formed of tapering shape, and preferably with rounded end, the purpose of this construction being to distribute more evenly the strain upon the spring, and to avoid the severe strain that So would be put upon the spring at the end of the bearing-fiange were this flange formed of the same thickness throughout and with a square end. The end stopseats, 0, within which rest the bent ends of the springs, serve 8 5 both to prevent any movement of the springs in the direction of their length, and at the same time act as bearing-points for the ends of the springs as the chair is rocked back and forth.

In the modification shown in Figs. and 5 the bent ends of the extended portions (Z are passed through the base-rails and rockers,and are threaded to receive the nuts (2 In this construction there is provided a bracket, F, 5 having a shank, f, adapted to fit within the sockets in the base-rails and rockers,and having sharpened points f and groove-seats f to receive the extended portions of the springs.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the ends of the extended portions are bent to form the eyes 9, and are held by the screws H, passing through these eyes. Brackets F are employed in this construction similar to those above described.

Instead of brackets F,screws or headed bolts may be used to form seats for the extended portions (Z of the springs, and the details of construction, particularly of the connectors, may be otherwise varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a platform rocking-chair, the combination, with the base-rails and rockers,of two broad short spiral springs, one at each side of the chair, and each having end portions extended beyond one sidethereof,and connectors for securing such extended end portions directly to the base-rails and rockers,said springs being placed vertically at the side of the rock ers and base-rails and in or near the center of oscillation, and forming the main or only connection between the upper and lower parts of the chair, substantially as described.

2. In a platform rocking-chair, the combi nation, with the base-rails and rockers, of two broad short spiral springs, one at each side of the chair,and each having straightened end portions extended beyond one side thereof, and connectors for securing the springs directly to the base-rails and rockers,said springs being placed vertically at the side of the rockers and base-rails and in or near the center of oscillation, and forming the main or only con nection between the upper and lower parts of the chair, substantially as described.

8. In a platform rocking-chair, the oombination, with the base-rails and rockers, of two broad short spiral springs, one at each side of the chair,and each having straightened end portions extended beyond one side thereof, and bracket-plates for attaching said portions directly to the base-rails and rockers and holding the ends of the springs, said springs being placed vertically at the inside of the rockers and baserails and in or near the center of 0s cillation, and forming the main or only connection between the upper and lower parts of the chair, substantially as described.

4. The spring mechanism for a platform rocking'chair, comprising broad short spiral springs having their end portions straightened and extended, and bracketplates for securing said extended portions directly to the rockers and base-rails, such bracket-plates being pro.- vided with seats, and with stops for the ends of the springs, substantially as described.

5. The spring mechanism for a platform rocking-chair, comprising two broad short spiral springs, each having extended straightened end portions, in combination with bracket-plates for securing said extended portions directly to the rockers and base-rails, the bracket-plates having seats for such extended portions; and stop-seats for the ends of the springs, substantially as described.

JOSEPH IV. KENNA.

IV it n esses:

Gno. P. FISHER, J12, J AMES H. Pnmcn. 

